LoveLorn
by Senorita2012
Summary: It's painfully obvious to everyone that Renji and Rukia have deep feelings for each other... When the intimidating Byakuya catches them in the act... What's going to happen? Will he accept the joining of two of the closest people in his world? Or will he refuse their love a second-time around?
1. Warmth of two

**Hi all! So this is my firstfanction ever. I decided to write this story about Renji and Rukia... I completely love the two of them together. And who can forget the irrepressible Bya-chan? **

**Please read and review...  
**

**Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it :D  
**

The buttery sunshine poured through the window, causing the redheaded man to groan and pull the covers further over his head. Abarai Renji cursed hoarsely; his usual mellifluous baritone had lost its richness from last night's drinking. " Kosaaaa! Can a man get no sleep around here!" He stretched languidly and his tattered t-shirt rode up to reveal a toned, taut midriff. He tied his messy mop of crimson hair into a pineapple-like sculpture on the top of his head. He struggled his way out of the tangle of sheets that were draped on his bed ,and now on the floor too, and stumbled toward the bathroom. The bathroom door slammed violently…. Shinigami on the other side of the barracks took that slam as a Yachiru- is-on-the-loose-alert…And hastily slammed their doors shut too.

" I am NEVER EVER drinking with you again Kira," muttered Renji sourly to his close friend. " This hangover has come straight from the depths of hell. And to make matters worse, I have to go face the Taichou first thing! That man has the nose of the sniffer dog…. He can smell sake which hasn't even been brewed yet!"

Kira let out a low chuckle. " That's what you say every weekend Renji… EVERY damn weekend!"

" Yeah yeah…. This time it's for real! Anyway duty calls!" Renji jogged slowly away, still cursing. The running was not helping his aching head; every step he took made his head pound even more fiercely. He thought about the reason for the unceasing drumbeat going on in his head. Last night he and the usual suspects had been out drinking sake until dawn. Spurred on by the irrepressible Matsumoto, they had drunk themselves into a stupor.

Still caught up in thoughts of last night, Renji didn't notice the small woman standing near him, until she elbowed him HARD in the ribs. " OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW," he bellowed. " WHAT THE HELL! RUKIA!" The mischievous imp had the nerve to grin at him after nearly puncturing his lung? _Bitch…. I am going to wipe that effin smirk off that face! _

" Sashiburi ne Renji?" Rukia grinned up at him. " Between your duties and your drinking I've hardly seen you lately! And when I do see you then you have the nerve to bump into me?" A smile lurked in the corners of her mouth.

" Shut the hell up you imp! I'm already suffering enough in case you can't see! Don't you have work to do or summin girl…instead of harassing me?" Renji grimaced. _ For a midget….this bitch is dangerous. _ _ Those damned eyes are dangerous…._ " Anyways Rukia, you should join us sometime you know, a lil drinking never heard anyone… Maybe it would take the stick outta your ass you know? Or loosen it at the very least." He smirked. Cockily.

" Oh Renji, I could never outdrink a big, strong man like you," she simpered, her voice dripping with honey so sweet that it made him want to throw up last night's leftovers.

" Nah Ru, come out with this big, strong man! We're going out tonight to celebrate...There's…something sort of special about today."

" Baka, that's the reason I was standing around here, waiting for you…. Happy birthday Big-Strong- Man-Chan!" She showed him a box that she had been hiding behind her back, and gently placed it in the palm of his hand. " Happy Birthday Ren," Rukia repeated softly.

" Aw, baka, you shouldn't have…" Renji untied the silky red ribbon from around the box and slowly lifted the lid. He saw a photo of him and Rukia smiling together, in academy uniforms. The photo wasencased in a thick mahogany frame. She was leaning into him, and his arm was draped around her considerably shorter frame. Both of them wore wide carefree grins which stretched from ear to ear. Renji's red hair was standing up on end and was singed black at the ends. Renji was laughing down at Rukia, and she in turn was smiling up at him, pointing at his hair. " This was the day after kido practice… You were the worst out of all of us; I still remember how you shot that Bakudo spell straight at yourself," Rukia chortled.

_That smile…. Too fuckin dangerous…_ " Aww Ru, thanks, I love it. Even though I still look way better than you." Without warning, he enveloped her into a hug and held her soft body tightly against his hard one. He never wanted to let her go. Never. He smiled when he felt her hands encircle his own waist and grip him hard._ She's so damn beautiful too… Shit… _

A loud cough suddenly shattered the silence and Renji and Rukia hurriedly jumped apart. Byakuya, conjured out of thin air, stood there, maintaining his usual manner of dignified silence. A sudden breeze blew his scarf and ruffled his thick black mane. His expression was stoic and as unreadable as ever he appraised the sight of his sister and his lieutenant who stared guiltily back at him…

**So that's the pilot... will Bya-chan blow his top? Or will he go and join the group hug? Find out in the next chapter...**

**Please review! I'd love to hear what you think~  
**


	2. Burning, Burning, Burning

**Welcome to Chapter 2! **

**An interesting twist unfolds in this chapter….**

**Enjoy and please review! **

_**Emotions are like flames, fire. They flare up, they can cause terrible damage, but they can be terribly heart-warming too…**_

" T-t-t-taiiichouu…W-w-what are you doing here!?" Renji yelped. This was bad. This was very very bad. _ If he thought for one second that I'd laid a finger on Rukia, he'd Senbonzakura my ass all the way to hell…Kosa… For her I'd take him on though…_

" I was simply heading to the OUR office Abarai, like everyone else should be doing too," Byakuya icily replied to his subordinate. His demeanour did not betray any palpable reaction to the embrace he interrupted; he shot his sister and fukutaichou an impenetrable look- could that be a glint in his eye?- and then glided on down the cobbled stoneway towards the 6th division headquarters. " WHEWWW," Renji breathed out in relief… " That was close, Ru!" He turned round in search of the girl in question, but she had vanished. " RU!?" _ Damned girl, comes and goes without making a sound; she's more like her brother than she'll ever realise. Kuchikis…._ Renji sighed. Might as well quit dawdling, he should be heading towards work, as his taichou so graciously pointed out. He smiled softly to himself, remembering the feel of Rukia's warm body against his own. With less grace than his superior, he clattered noisily down the path, lost in Rukia-related daydreams.

Meanwhile, the girl occupying Renji's thoughts had slipped away to her own office. Rukia, seated in a plush leather chair, was diligently working her way through the mound of paperwork that lay on her desk. The piles of papers were so tall that they obscured the petite woman from sight. She was scribbling her signature onto a request form, when her office door was thrust open with a resounding slam. She jumped and the paper mountain fluttered into an untidy heap on the floor. " NEE-SAAAN, oh my nee-san, your heavenly beauty has pierced me and I finally see your radiance again... EMRABCE your Kon-SAMA in the valleys of LOVE!" An all-too familiar golden plushie thrust itself at Rukia's chest hoping to meet flesh, but her lightening quick reflexes caused the stuffed lion to meet the hard unforgiving mahogany floor instead. " Kon? What are you doing here?" A surprised Rukia questioned. But the plushie reverted back to being inanimate as a deep green pill rolled onto the floor_. Damn, that was more forceful than I intended…. Oh well.. . These valleys are never touching him._

_."_ Ohyaiou Rukia…Sashiburi neh?" A tall fiery-headed Shingiami entered through the open door.

" Ichigo! Yeahhh it's been a while! How are you? I see you brought Kon with you…" She gestured towards the pill.

" Daijoubou, yeah had to drag him along cuz he kept making a ruckus back home. Karin was starting to smell something fishy and I didn't want to leave the horny bastard near my sisters," Ichigo smirked.

" Great to see you Ichigo, it's been nearly three months! What brings you here?" Rukia inquired, curious. " Ahh, haven't you heard? The old-man send orders , apparently my presence is needed here. Some hollows or something were terrorising the 4th district and they asked me to come help out since everyone is busy with who knows what."

" Neh Ichigo, they called you all the way here to exterminate hollows?" Rukia responded, sceptically ." I'm sure we could have taken care of a few measly hollows ourselves."

" Do you always have to question me midget? Can you not just accept my explanations?" His scowl deepened. She smirked. "Persistent dwarf," Ichigo muttered under his breath.

" WHAT WAS THAT? DID YOU JUST CALL ME A DWARF, STRAWBERRY!?" Rukia stood up, kicking her chair aside. She reflected on how Ichigo was the giant PAIN in her ass. The STICK in her ass, was how Renji would probably put it… Time to remove that orange stick then… She walked furiously towards the taller Shinigami, and kicked him viciously on his shin. She grinned victoriously as Ichigo howled in pain. The battle did not stop there- a seething Ichigo got to his feet and advanced threateningly onto the small woman. With a swift movement of his feet, he tripped Rukia and smirked cockily… but not for long, as she clutched at his black robes and dragged him down ungracefully onto the floor with her. _Payback was sweet. _ Rukia let out an evil cackle in her head. No one, orange-headed or otherwise, called Kuchiki Rukia a dwarf and lived to tell the tale.

Unfortunately, Rukia's hard-earned victory was short-lived as an unexpected visitor breezed through the door. " Rukia, I thought we could-" Renji stopped, midsentence, taking in the scene before him. Rukia – _his_ Rukia- lay on the floor, her clothes rumpled, looking unusually flustered. On top of her was that _damned_ orange-headed bastard. He didn't want to know what she was doing with _him. _ He couldn't _bear _ to know.

" Ahhh…Renji it's not what it looks like. This overgrown baka called me a dwarf and then he TRIPPED me, can you believe it!" She attempted in vain to undo damage that was already wrought. Renji plastered a tight smile onto his face and waved away Rukia's explanations. " Uh Ru don't be silly… Like I care what you do with him." _ Shit… I leave her for a few hours and this is what she does when I'm gone? She never opens up this much to me… I never see her this animated, this ALIVE when she's with me. Maybe he's got something that I don't. _

_Enough Renji, get a grip._ _ Maybe this isn't what it looks like._

He silenced the echoing voices in his head as Ichigo and Rukia got to their feet. " Anyways Ichigo, why are you here? Seriously this time!" Rukia glared at the lanky Shinigami.

" Am here to get some action. Things in the real world have quieted down a bit and I'm missing the chase, can't let my sword get rusty now can I?" Ichigo grinned in response to Rukia's glare. Renji's insides squirmed as he observed Rukia's glare soften. His smile slipped.

" Che. Please… Your skills were always rusty orange-head." Renji interjected, wanting to stop this awful moment between the two. _It feels like… she was leaving again, this time of her own will. And that hurts even more than when she was forced to leave…_

" Yeah, yeah, wanna go against me and try your luck, pineapple-san?" The two men glared daggers at each other. Rukia hastily interrupted. " So, Ichigo, where're you planning on staying?"

" I dunno."

" Well, you're always welcome to stay with us, there's lots of room."

" Thanks Rukia, I think I'll take ya up on that offer."

_THIS WAS TOO MUCH! Now she's inviting him to STAY over? What the hell's going on? Did this morning not exist for her?_

" Ichigo you can come and stay with ME! I doubt the taichou'll want you hangin around his manor." He had to do something. Over his dead body would he see Ichigo and Rukia living together!

" Naw, thanks though Renji, I'll just head over with Rukia." The orange-haired man politely declined the red-head's offer. Renji stormed out of the office just then, not trusting himself to say another word to the pair. " Jeez, what's his problem Rukia?" asked a mystified Ichigo.

" I have no clue Ichigo." The raven-haired woman was genuinely puzzled._ Did Ni-sama say anything to him about this morning? Hmm, maybe that's why Renji's been acting like a bear with a sore-head._

Renji spent the next couple of hours fiercely crossing swords with Kira, in an attempt to release the ball of hurt and frustration that was smouldering in the pit of his stomach. " HOWL ZABIMARU!" The silvery blade gleamed, catching the last rays of sun and reflecting them back to the vast, unforgiving sky. It extended lithely forward in a curving arc, slamming down roughly against Wabisuke. The two blades met with a clanging sound that reverberated across the length of the practice field. Kira withdrew his own blade, panting with exertion and he shunpoed back a few metres. Renji, however, was having none of that. He put on a burst of speed as he commanded his sword again… "HOWWWL ZAMBIMARU!" His katana extended forward, slightly heavier than before, causing the air around it to whistle as it hungrily leapt to bite into Kira's shoulder . It was only with quick thinking that the latter managed to dodge the honed blade of Renji's sword. " RENJI, enough already…yamete! I'm exhausted."

Renji reluctantly yielded to his friend's pleas. As he bid Kira farewell, a thought struck him. He still had some paperwork that required his taichou's signature. Why not go and give it to him? That way he'd see what Rukia and that bastard were up to. Pleased with his scheme, Renji rushed across the cobbled pave way to his office, which was only a few minutes away. He hurriedly bundled the papers together and headed with grim determination towards his taichou's manor. Upon arrival, he requested an audience with his captain. If Byakuya was surprised at Renji's impromptu visit, he hid it well.

Renji offered an unconvincing explanation. He rambled: " I –umm- had the sudden urge to get tomorrow's paperwork done today. You know taichou- lately I think I need to start being more responsible, so if you signed the documents, I can get a head start on tomorrow's work- because like I mentioned I am becoming mature and respons-"

" Very well, I shall sign them," Byakuya cut his fukutaichou off. Something was wrong, very wrong. In the fifty years that Byakuya had known his lieutenant, there had been no occasion on which Renji had done paperwork voluntarily. Not while he could be out drinking at any rate. _ Something's not right here,_ the perceptive nobleman thought to himself. He opened his mouth to ask interrogate his lieutenant; he fully expected to drag some answers out of the stuttering man, when a loud crashing noise diverted his attentention. Luckily for Renji.

The two shunpoed swiftly towards the eastern wing of the manor, where the sound originated from. They were greeted by a strange sight indeed. Ichigo and Rukia were covered from head-to-toe in soft, sticky dough. They were standing side by side, Rukia's shoulder brushing Ichigo's arm. They cut each other off in an effort to explain their doughy mess. From what Renji could gather, they had tried their hand at making pizza; Ichigo was teaching Rukia about food in the real world, preparing her for when she would go back.

Renji could take no more, he was at his limit. He fled as fast as he could. The burning ball of hurt was searing through the lining in his stomach.

_I thought it was just us.. US goddamnit. Ren and Ru. I thought, after the present, that she felt what I felt. For one stupid second, I was stupid enough to think she felt that magic too. Stupid fuckin me! _ _Kosa…_

Meanwhile, Byakuya was taken aback at his fukutaichou's abrupt depature. He thoughtfully gazed after the crimon-haired man. Of course, of course! The answer to Renji's puzzling behaviour was so obvious, it was right under his nose. _ So that explains Abarai Renji's sudden love of paperwork. My fukutaichou's in love with my sister…. I knew it. This morning…. How long has been in love with Rukia ?_

**So that concludes this rather long chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed it. This isn't an IchiRuki fic, though I love those two together too! I think it's inevitable that Ichigo and Rukia become good friends, after what they've been through... Poor Ren… he's had a hard day, but he shall be redeemed in the next chappy! Now that Bya-kun knows…. **

**COOOKIIIEEES and CREAAAM for everyone who reviews xD**


	3. Disappearance and Desperation

**Chapter 3**

**Enjoy. If you read, please review too. Thank you to Nightheart and DarkAngel54!  
**

_** Even if you can't let go of the past, I'll still be there to meet you tomorrow, when your fragile wings get tired of this overly blue sky...**_

Abarai Renji was having a sleepless night. He tossed and turned, tangling himself up in sheets and burrowing under pillows. In vain- sleep eluded him. The blessed relief that it brought was not destined for Renji that night. Thoughts of Rukia with Ichigo tormented him. He stood up, abandoning his futile attempts at sleep. He exited his room and padded barefoot , soft as a cat, outside. He gazed up at the star-studded landscape of the night sky; it seemed higher up than usual, more distant. Unreachable.

Pinpricks of light poked through the dark curtain that was the night sky- tonight it had a purplish blue tinge to it, the colour of bruised plums. Thousands of stars glimmered, winking at him. Amidst the twinkling drops of light was nestled a full moon. It glowed, casting a mellow silvery light that coloured Renji's hair a deep, velvety red. It was a soft and forgiving light that masked gaping wounds and made them appear beautiful, so unlike the sun's harsh brightness that cruelly pointed out every flaw, every disfigurement. In the past, when Renji was troubled, he would draw comfort from the sweeping swathe of sky. His problems were tiny and insignificant by comparison. He remembered one such night…

_It was a balmy night, the wind blew softly and caressed his rich, red locks. He gazed at the night sky, lost within the folds of his mind._

" _Renji! Renji!" came the call of a girl's voice, drawing him out from his thoughts.. " What're you doing up here, all alone? I've been looking for you!"_

" _Rukia… I was- just looking. You know." _

" _I know baka." She smiled to see her friend so pensive. He was never usually like this. " What's up Renji?" She asked, wanting to ease whatever ache that was troubling him . " I …. I was just thinking. How we suffer so much here. How no-one gives a damn. How the others have died. It's just me and you left. You realise that? It's so damned unfair…"_

_She paused at his outburst, turning her gaze from the wide ribbon of sky , to his upturned face. " Yea… I do realise, more than you know. What can we do though? It seems it is our fate to want but not have… The best we can do is live out our days trying to do good in a world of bad. Fairness isn't a hand which life deals out Ren. We have to make the most of what we have now.I know this isn't easy, but as long as we have each other…. we'll be okay. We make it in the end, we always do." She looked down at her hands and hair inky black her fell over her onyx eyes. Her eyes were the same shade of colour as the sky._

_He slowly turned to face her. He inhaled sharply. She was just so beautiful… This world did not deserve her goodness, her strength. He had to make a better world for her. He just had to._

" _Rukia! I have an idea!" She observed he way his mood swiftly changed, and smiled. _

" _Yes ... let's hear it!" She replied with equal enthusiasm, wanting to humour him, to keep that flame of happiness burning._

" _We should become Shinigami! I've heard life in the Seretei is way better than out here! We can help bring good, and stop the suffering Rukia. We can." He looked earnestly at her._

" _Why Renji. That's the first intelligent thing I've heard from you in a long time. Should we- Should we go there tomorrow?" She hesitantly suggested._

" _Yes, yes I know they'll accept us. They have to." He smiled softly and opened his arms towards her. She stepped into his outstretched arms and he hugged her tightly to him. She hugged him back. This was the start of their life together, as Shinigami, he knew it. _

He could recall that night like it was yesterday. Despite not owning anything except the clothes on their back, they were happy together. Life then was simple and uncomplicated. There were no different threads which interwove, there was just one common thread. There held only one goal: to survive. They didn't think of what lay beyond survival, their thoughts ended with each other .

Renji's determination was renewed. He and Rukia had brought each other up, she was the only family he knew. They had wandered the streets together and buried their _nakama_ together. They had cried and laughed together, and done everything else in between. She had eased his suffering with just her presence and could taught him the art of finding beauty in the unlikeliest of places.

Renji stood up and stretched his cramped muscles. He felt better. Tomorrow was another day, and with it would come new clarity and new reservoirs of strength to draw upon. He strengthened his resolve.

The next day, as Renji sauntered to work, he passed by the 13th division offices. He needed to speak to Rukia and tell her how he felt; this tight knot in his chest was beginning to unravel. He needed to hear her response. He gathered his courage and heart in his hands as he stepped into her office.

" Hello, anyone there?" Silence greeted his call. He stepped into the office and was stunned at the chaos spread before him. Drawers were overturned and papers were strewn all over the floor. Rukia's plush leather chair was hacked in two, the stuffing scattered spread like white, springy blood. The glass in the window was shattered into small fragments which littered the floor. Renji gasped. He cautiously trod further into the office, glass crunching underfoot. Her desk was crushed into pieces- it looked like someone had burned the pieces of wood with a high-level kido incantation. The acrid smell of smoke still hung in the air and burned Renji's nostrils.

" What happened here!? ANYONE? RUKIA?" He rushed out of the office , searching for her. He couldn't feel her reiatsu anywhere within the vicinity. In his flustered state, he bumped into the white-haired Ukitake.

" What's going on here Renji, why are you screaming?" The mild-mannered captain asked.

" T-taichou, what happened? Rukia's office is a complete mess! Where is she?" Renji could hardly get the words out of his mouth.

" What? She's not here? I have been unwell for the past week, and poor Rukia was taking care of all my paperwork. " Ukitake entered the ransacked office. He frowned in disbelief. " This is ridiculous. Who would have the nerve to destroy a fuku-taichou's office like this? Renji, it is of utmost importance that we check if Rukia's okay. Call round to Byakuya's and check. I shall go and ask if anyone else in the division has noticed anything odd." He swept out of the office, maintaining his usual poise.

Renji did not hesitate. He shunpoed as fast as he could, indeed he was just a blur of black to passers-by. He entered the Kuchiki manor and banged forcefully on the solid oak door. His taichou answered the door, to his surprise. Without waiting for his captain to speak, Renji hurriedly told him what had happened.

Byakuya gazed at his fukutaichou, considering. _I guess now is not the right moment to speak of his feelings. I shall do so again when he is calmer… _ He made a split- second decision and beckoned to Renji. They departed to Rukia's quarters, Byakuya with a graceful gait and Renji with a hurried, less dignified one.

Byakuya rapped sharply on the sliding wooden door. He waited a few seconds and when he received no answer, he slid the door open. Both taicho and fukitaicho gazed with horror at Rukia's ruined bedroom. Her sleeping mat which was usually folded neatly away, was slashed into pieces and scattered all over the tatami floor. Her collection of chappy rabbits were equally mutilated and join the litter of debris on the floor. The white stuffing flowed out of their disfigured shapes. Her closet door was hanging by a hinge and her clothes were swept out and ripped. Her writing desk was turned upside down; the ink pot was now just shards of glass, deep black ink seeped onto the polished brown wood.

It looked like someone had been searching for something, or more ominously, the scene of a struggle. Renji was numb with shock. Before anyone could react, a hell butterfly fluttered gently towards Byakuya. He lifted a finger for it to rest upon. It's message was startling, as for the first time Renji saw a worried expression cross his taichou's normally unreadable face.

" Renji, it looks like there-" He paused. " There has been some bad news. Rukia seems to have disappeared. There is no trace of Kurosaki either." Renji gasped and took a step backwards. He stumbled over the writing desk and fell on his knees. It was then that he spotted a piece of paper wedged between the woven bamboo mat and the floor. He read it silently.

" TAICHOU! This is a KIDNAPPERS note! What should we do? It says …that they are holding Rukia captive. They-" He paused desparetly, clawing at the floor "- will kill her unless you acknowledge and meet their demands." His voice trailed off. Renji was breathless. He couldn't handle this. He'd prefer Rukia be with Ichigo and be happy than have anything happen to her." Th-They want you step down as the head of the Kuchiki clan and from your captain's position. They want you to exchange your blood for Rukia's. They say that if you give yourself up and they will free her! They… They have killed Ichigo too…"

Byakuya was silent.

" BYAKUYA! What are you going to do?" Renji for the first time in his life, addressed his superior by his first name, desperately waiting for a reaction.

_Rukia... He'd let himself die before he'd allow someone to harm even one hair on Rukias head…Ichigo, how strong were they if they managed to kill him?_

**Okay… Bya-kun and Renji are in a difficult position. I wonder what they'll do…**

**If you read this I'd appreciate you reviewing. It'd only take a few minuuuutes and it motivates me to write more and update quicker.**

**Thaaaaank you!**


	4. Hidden Depths

**Chapter 4 **

_**All happy families resemble each other. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way**_

_**Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstroy. **_

" Abarai there can be no question about this. It is someone who has a strong grudge lodged against me. Whoever did this is complete scum and possesses only cowardice. Of course I will let no harm befall Rukia. Their fight is with me and not with her." The captain shook his head. " To drag her into this…"

" Taichou, do you mean you're going to give yourself up? If these people killed Ichigo, then they mean business. " Renji collected himself, stood up and levelled his gaze at Byakuya's pale face.

_Ichigo my friend, I will avenge you._

" Kurosaki dead? I believe it is highly improbable. Few can touch they boy, as troublesome as he is. As for giving myself up, Abarai do not be ridiculous. We shall kill these people before any harm can befall Rukia."

" But then- how is it possible that he'd let them take Rukia away? She's no easy opponent and the two of them make together would be extremely difficult to overcome." Renji responded dubiously. _ Rukia's tough, she'd freeze the hell out of anyone who'd try to touch her… please be alright Ru…_

" Come. Let us report this to the Sou-Taichou. We can start sending out search parties." Byakuya's unreadable mask had stapled itself back onto his face. He hid any residue of emotion and swept out of the destroyed bedroom. Renji followed in his footsteps, his fists balled up with anger. _ I don't think the captain's gonna give himself up. He's acting awfully strangfe too…What should I do? Kosa…_

Rukia stirred and sneezed. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She could barely make out her surroundings; hardly any light penetrated the gloomy, dust-filled interior of her prison. She tried to stand, but her hands and legs were bound tightly by metal manacles chained to the wall. They bit roughly into soft flesh and she could feel her skin chaffing against the cold metal. _This looks like a cave. _Realisation dawned on her as she appraised the roughly-hewn rock walls and the uneven floor. _ I've been kidnapped._ _Last night, I was drugged. After I ate those noodles… I could only see hazily . Everything was foggy… and I couldn't move. _ She put up a valiant fight in her inebriated state but the drug had overpowered her._ That's right, they knocked me out as I was trying to reach for Sode no Shirayuki . I was bound me with Kido… _ Then she had woken up on this jagged floor, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. Her blood boiled. _Whoever did this to me is going to have hell to pay. I hope they didn't get to Ichigo too. Those masked bastards didn't even have enough courage to show their identities. Reiatsu was completely unfamiliar too. _ She chanted a Kido spell in an attempt to blast her way free. _ The hell? Are you telling me I don't have enough Spiritual Pressure for this? Shit. _ The manacles had leached away every last drop of reiatsu from her . They seemed to be made out of some extraordinary metalloid which sucked up spiritual pressure.

Her eyed widened with understanding- she suddenly knew- the walls, they were made out of Seki-Seki, the stone which absorbed spiritual pressure ! This felt too much like the past; fate had a twisted sense of humour. She snorted wryly. _I should be familiar with being imprisoned by now._

Someone entered the room, jolting Rukia out of her contemplation. She turned to face the newcomer. " Who the hell are you? And why have you brought me here?" She demanded angrily.

The hooded figure let out a low chuckle which made Rukia's flesh crawl with disgust.

" As one would expect of a Kuchiki, you have fiiire" The figure snarled in a bitter voice which brimmed with hatred. " I say your name ironically. You_, my deaaar_, despite having only peasant blood running through your lowly veins, have been adopted by the noble clan of Kuchiki. I know not why."

Rukia supressed a shudder. " What do you want from me?"

" You, _sweetheart," _ the robed shadow cackled, " are going to be used to usurp your beloved _Ni-sama. _ We shall have our revenge for his actions."

" Stop talking shit! Ni-sama has never done anything bad in his life, he is a good man!" Rukia screamed back. Let them do what they wanted with her, but they shouldn't, _couldn't,_ harm her brother.0

" Of course you'd say that. You are the sin that he has committed. Allowing such filthy commoners to taint the noble blood of Kuchikis- " the figure snorted derisively in anger, "-to poison our great lineage with your filth is a sin." Rukia started back as though she had been slapped.

" So kill me and be done with it. You should not punish my brother for the kindness he displayed towards me," she said softly, looking down at the shackles that bound her feet.

_Renji…_

**So methinks Bya-kun is hiding something from both Ren and Ru. Hope he gets his act together before Rukia gets hurt or Ren kicks his finely-polished ass.**

**Next chappy we shall find out what's happened to Ichigo, Rukia's fate and Renji's decision.**

**Review please and lemme know what you think. Drop any suggestions you have for future chapters :D and until next time, **

**Sayonara xoxo**


	5. Pure and Poison

**Chapter 5 **

**Sorry for the rather long wait and thanks to all those who took the time to review. I was feeling a little humorous when I wrote this chapter, so forgive me if it's a little upbeat when things should actually be all doom- and-gloom :P **

**Thank you to RukiaRenji4ever, Nelliel and ' Guest' for your reviews =)**

**Enjoy.**

_**~Happiness blooms not in the shadows of lies- you cannot fix the whole world, but you can fix pieces of it, one at a time.~**_

Renji let out a frustrated sigh as he pondered over the current situation. It was a nightmare which sprung straight from the depths of hell. As expected, Yama-ji had immediately summoned all the captains and briefed them on Rukia's disappearance. They were taken aback at the sudden unfolding of events, but were unsurprised at the kidnapper's demands. Byakuya was reputed to be the most powerful leader of the Kuchiki family in over a century. He would no doubt thwart many wrong-doers ; removal from his perch as captain and as leader of one of the most prominent clans in Soul Society would afford many opportunities to spread chaos and malignance. Rukia's disappearance was not taken lightly, but if push really came to shove, would her life be sacrificed for the captain's?

_Hell no. OVER my dead body._

Search parties were spread throughout the districts of Rukongai, but so far their efforts had yielded no results. There were no sightings or information on Rukia's whereabouts. Her reiatsu had been erased; there was not even a faint trickle to indicate her location- it seemed she had just vanished into thin air. No one had seen or heard anything. Needless to say, Renji was one frustrated red-head. _Every minute I spend idle is another minute that Rukia could be harmed. Screw this. _ He set his doubts and hesitancy aside._ I think it's time to pay the captain a visit._

Byakuya had just returned from another fruitless search in the northern-most districts of Rukongai. He too was beginning to get discouraged. Unlike his subordinate, however, he concealed this fact under a smooth façade of indifference. Byakuya had his own suspicion about Rukia's disappearance…_ Could it be him? It's highly likely that this is the kind of low-life scummy act he'd pull… He's much too cowardly to ever look me in the eye and tell me his grievances, so he's make Rukia pay. _ His angry thoughts were not reflected in the planes of his fine-boned face, which remained smooth and even.

Without warning, a scarlet blur suddenly burst into his office like a whirlwind, scattering piles of neatly-stacked papers into disarray. Byakuya's eyebrow twitched. His irritation levels were mounting. Renji came to a halt in front of the captain's desk. Distractedly, he noted the mess he had caused. He flinched when he observed his captain's eyebrows raised in question, but he did not let this deter him. Without pause, he launched into his rehearsed speech.

" Taichou. Hello. Sorry for the mess." He cleared his throat abruptly and vaguely waved his hand in the direction of the papers. The 12th division captain had to restrain his urges to break Renji's waving hand. "I came to say something. Hear me out. I know Rukia's disappearance is -difficult. Screw that actually." Byakuya's eyebrows began to twitch even harder in response to Renji's bluntness and lack of decorum. " Difficult doesn't even begin to express how much worry, or how much guilt I feel for being unable to help her wherever she is. She's a pain in the ass-" TWITCH, TWITCH went the captain's eyebrow, "- and she gets on my nerves sometimes- she irritates me like no-one else can, she makes me angry, she makes my blood boil. She's a shrimp, who never accepts any help when she needs it, but she's beautiful taichou, inside and out. I know it's hard to tell me that you care for her too, because you don't see me as an equal. But we both love Rukia I can tell you that much .I think- no, I know that you've been acting strange and I'm here to find out why. Taichou, if there's something you know, something that can help us find her, then I think you should tell me." Renji inhaled, out of breath after his speech.

" Please." He looked at Byakuya, eyes blazing. He stopped. Was that- was that a smirk ? Byakuya coughed and quickly wiped away the beginnings of a smile. " Abarai. Did you just tell me that you are in love with MY sister?" _ A little dramatics never hurt anyone. It's for his own good If he plans on spending his life with my sister, he'll have to get used to the drama. _Byakuya tried to justify his pleasure at seeing Renji so uncomfortable. _ 'Screw that,' as my lovely fukutaichou would say. _ He silenced his conscience. I_t's just fun seeing him squirm. _ In his head, Byakuya was cackling like an old woman. He fully intended to squeeze every drop of pleasure from his subordinate's discomfort. This was payback for Renji destroying his up the stack of papers that he had so painstakingly organised. Renji swallowed hard. " W-well, maybe but that wasn't really the main point of the- speech?"

" Abarai Renji. Do you wish to pursue relations with Rukia?" Byakuya launched an unnerving gaze at his subordinate, who was fighting the urge to run away. An image of Rukia's huge eyes and smug grin suddenly flashed before Renji's eyes. He steeled himself and met his captain's gaze.

"Yes taichou, yes I do." _ Well if this is the last sentence I'll ever say in my life, Zabimaru, it was good knowing you. And Kami-sama, please don't let Yachiru steal my stuff._

Silence descended upon the room. There came the muffled sound of laughter. _ Okay, I think that's enough agony I've given him for for one day. _Renji's jaw swung open in utter disbelief. Kuchiki Byakuya - _ The _ dignified, scary, powerful captain - was laughing. Byakuya could not help it. To see Renji so petrified was sheer undiluted comedy. _ Am I really that scary? Hisana always told me my jokes were funny. _ He attempted to stifle the chuckling with his scarf and then hurriedly turned it to a cough.

" Very well Renji. You have my consent. Take care of her. " He paused and looked the office. Aside from the papers, the surroundings were spotless and pristine. " It seems there is some dust or dirt in here Renji, clean out the office- it seems I am contracting a cough." With a twinkle in his eye, he glanced at his fukutaichou, whose mouth was still agape with shock. " You mean it!?" Renji protested in disbelief. _ What's the catch!?_

"Did you just ignore everyone I said Abarai? Are you trying to vexate me anymore than you already have?" Byakuya put on his best commanding air. _ This is too much fun, _ he thought gleefully.

" N-no, that is the last thing I intend to do taichou!" Renji accepted his captain's words with relief.

" Now," Byakuya said briskly, all hints of amusement vanishing as quickly as they came, " what I am going to tell you must not pass beyond the walls of this room. I have had my suspicions about my sister's disappearance. I have kept them to myself for a reason. If anyone were to find out about this, it could lead to a disaster. Abarai I am going to tell you a story…"

" When the House of Kuchiki was at its peak, there existed much jealousy and plotting. Yes, there was prosperity and wealth and the Kuchikis lived opulently during the times of peace. Unfortunately peace sometimes breeds complacence . Instead of using the peaceful era to sharpen their minds and bodies and develop their character, they turned lazy and indulgent. Avarice and malice began to spring up and then a tangled, twisted web of lies and deceit were spun amongst family members. Good intentions were poisoned with sheer greed. The whole family was tainted by the desire to attain more wealth-each wanted to possess more than the other. Power, though, is nothing without control, Abarai and affluence nothing without true character. I regret to say that blood was no longer thicker than water, as bitter family feuds sprung up, causing the house of Kuchiki to fall into disarray. This was before Ginrei-dono's time. The head of the Kuchiki family then was a young man who had succumbed to material temptation. He had not the heart of a leader within him. Instead of using a firm hand to stop the feuds, he fuelled them with his own desire for wealth. He cared not about those around him, and sought to further his own means at the expense of others. My grandfather saw this and could not let this pass. He stepped up and defeated him. With his defeat, honour was once again restored and the bickering came to an end. But family is family and Ginrei-dono could not bring himself to kill the young man. He always used to tell me that every sin can be cured with inner discipline… Maybe that's why I am who I am today. Anyhow, Ginrei-dono let the young man go. Before leaving, he vowed to get his revenge, however he could."

Renji had been listening intently to the taichou's words. " Taichou- could it be? It's the same man who's taken Rukia?"

" I have a strong feeling that it could be him, because of his demand for my blood. Ginrei told me that the head before him had twisted ideals. He said that the young man believed in keeping Kuchiki blood pure and that he believed the Kuchikis to be superior to all those surrounding them," Byakuya said disgustedly. He remembered his wife…

_Hisana…. I love you. In your veins ran blood which was more noble and more pure than mine could ever be. You were so good, so giving. Their sick, twisted ideals conspired to keep us apart and nearly succeeded. If you were here, I know you'd say " Bya-sama, love can't be stopped." I swear upon your memory that I WON'T let them do to Rukia and Abarai, what they did to us. It's only fair._

_I love you._

" Taichou-?" Renji's questioning voice shook Byakuya out of his reverie. " But what are we gonna do? Her reiatsu's vanished!" _ Vanished reiatsu… there's only one possible way that people surpress reiatsu._

" That's it! That's IT!" Renji slapped his fist onto Byakuya's desk, causing more fluttering of papers. A vein pulsed in the captain's forehead.

" That maybe 'it' Abarai, but I see no reason for you to inflict damage upon my desk. I fully intend to make you stack and reorder those papers you so easily messed up." Renji flinched. _For a second I thought he was part-human …. Che, guess not . Robot-man is still alive and kicking~! Taichou's still the taichou neh._

He bravely ignored his captain's threats and explained his idea. " Suppressed reiatsu means seki-seki stone ne? And aside from the tower, there's only one other place in the whole of Soul Society that you'd find large enough amounts of it. "

" The Caves of Kokoro!" Both men exclaimed, simultaneously.

" Let's go, Byakuya," Renji said, in his eagerness to rescue Rukia. This was the second time he had addressed his superior by his first name. All within the span of a few days.

" That's Kuchiki Taichou to you, ABARAI." Byakuya pointedly announced.

Without further ado, the two men shunpoed towards the direction of Kokoro Caves.

**That explains Ru's disappearance. How will they save her though? Sorrrrry for Ichigo's unexplained circumstances. I promise that shall be done next chapter XD I love Bya-kun!**

**I'd like to say thank you to my own Renji, who is so incredibly beautiful, on the inside and out. I love you R. 3 **

**Reviews are appreciated =) **

**xoxo**


	6. Anxiety and Canines

Chapter 6

**Sorry for the long wait. I've been dealing with some pretty rough stuff lately . I hope that it'll pass soon, cuz as clichéd and horribly overrated as this sounds, life really IS too fleeting and transient to spend moping.**

**Two chapters updates at once to make up for the terrible wait! Thanks so much to the ' Guest' reviewer and to Nelliel: I know English teachers can be some of the most bizarre people ever lol xD Good luck with ur assignments :P**

**Enjoy =)**

" **Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation…"**

Rukia sat silently, observing the jagged outcrops of rock. Her face was a smooth mask of marble, not belying the cruel voice in her head which kept whispering morbidly , unceasingly, callously. She tried to shut it up, but it was like a greedy hollow on the scent of a particularly delectable prey. Persistent. It echoed over and over.

_It seems like there's no escape this time. If fate had just carried out its plan all those months ago , at the execution, I would have been at peace with my death. For then I had nothing to live for. I was shunned by the Kuchiki family, shunned by the Ni-sama, the very man who took me into his house… I even lost _**him**_**. But then,**__ then he came and he fought for me, even though I was not worth one blow of his sword or one drop of his spilled blood. And he finally, finally came to his senses. I got him back after 40 years of just DAMN waiting. So, at least then I would have died without this hideous, heart-wrenching pain. Now though, now I have people who make me want to live. I have Ichigo, I have Ni-sama, and I have him too, even though I never even told him how I felt…Kami-sama if you're listening. I know I'm not worth any spilled blood and I never will be. I'm weak, I am so pathetically weak, I have lost my will to die. I'm not strong enough to accept my death, like a true Shinigami should. That is why I have one request for you before I die. I'm just asking you to let me see him before I die. I beg you. Please, then I shall gladly go…_

She looked down. Her eyes were sloe- black and dark and impenetrable. In them there hung the same bruised darkness which bled over the empty, unreachable sky. Renji's sky. It was the aching hue of emptiness, of half-sliced dreams and of restless nothings.

Her head remained bent. She did not look up.

Ichigo stirred from the depths of his fitful slumber. He moaned softly as his amber eyes blinked slowly open. _ The hell…_ _ Where am I?_ He sat up slowly, conscious of a painful throbbing emanating from the base of his skull. He gingerly reached up to touch the source of the pain and his fingers touched a sticky liquid. Blood. _ Screw this… Rukia where the hell are you? Kosa…_

Then he remembered. Those bastards had poisoned him! He didn't want to face the wrath of an irate Byakuya, so he and Rukia had cleared up the mess in the manor's kitchen. He then retired to his sleeping quarters, tired after expending all his energy in warding off Rukia's fierce kicks. Before he could slide open the elaborately-decorated doors, a sudden wave of nausea hit him hard in the stomach. He doubled over in pain and fell to his knees gasping weakly for breath. His stomach was on fire and his head felt like it was about to burst. Through the haze of pain he heard Rukia's voice swearing loudly, and then his head hit the floor and everything went black.

_And then next thing I know I'm in this stupid cave. The fuck. Someone is asking for some serious pain._ He looked at his surroundings in disgust. The floor- if one could call it that – and ceiling were all hewn from the same uneven and serrated rock. His nose itched from the ground rock particles floating in the air. A particularly irritating sharp-toothed rock poked into his ass. He couldn't even scratch it. _ Arghhhhhh_. This would be nearly comical if the situation wasn't so dire.

Similarly to Rukia, his hands were shackled above his head by cold, heavy metal manacles which were attached to the rough wall. His biceps and triceps were screaming in agony at the strain. His legs were unchained though, so at least he could stretch them. He felt completely drained of reiatsu and realised that the stone must be seki-seki, the nasty -reiatsu draining material that sucked the life-force of Shinigami away. He still felt weak and weary, the poision was not out of his system yet. _No sign of Rukia's reiatsu either. I hope she's okay…_

A sudden idea began to take root in Ichigo's mind. He had to get out of this cave somehow, to crush this annoying piece of rock that was poking his ass. _ EFFIN ROCK! _And rescue Rukia. _ Yup, that too!_ He kicked off his wooden clogs and removed his socks. He was rather proud of his ability to remove BOTH socks with his feet. He smirked slightly and then began to bounce up and down, as high as his manacles would let him, ignoring the edge of the rock which was biting into the tender flesh of his bottom. A splintering sound echoed through the cave and the stinging pain on his behind abated. With skill that would put Olympic gymnasts to shame, Ichigo manoeuvred his long gangly legs just underneath his thighs, and fumbled with the jagged piece of rock until it was held securely between the big toe and second toe of his right foot. His tanned forehead was beaded with sweat as his leg muscles began to cramp in the awkwardness of his position. _ I am a fucking yoga genius. _ He panted in exertion as he lifted his right foot up to his shackled hand. The contorted angle of his body made him gasp in pain, but when the piece of rock passed to his hand, he breathed out in relief. His body was weak from the damaging effects of the potent poison. Ichigo had been given a poison which would have killed most men, but thanks to his superhuman reiatsu and hollow's immunity, he has survived. The poison had taken a taxing toll on his body though.

Gymnastics done, he began to saw at the chains of the manacle with a frantic sense of urgency. _ If I can just get the chains to break…_ The last two links of the chains were coated with a dull sheen of brown rust; it was here that Ichigo started filing desperately, expending the precious little energy that he had left.

Renji was also stricken with a sense of urgency that was as potent as Ichigo's. His shunpo seemed slower than usual today and he vowed to work on speeding it up. _After I rescue Rukia ,that is_. He glanced to the side, wondering if his captain was also experiencing similar frustration. Byakuya, as usual, appeared to be unruffled. His scarf was draped neatly over his broad chest , despite the breakneck speed the Captain of the 12th Division was travelling at. His face, as customary, held no traces of his thoughts and was as smooth and as unreadable as a blank sheet of paper. To the average observer, Kuchiki Byakuya was dignified and poised and there was nothing to mar his stately appearance. But Abarai Renji was not an average observer. He noted the tightness of his captain's mouth and the slight, nearly unnoticeable hardening of his eyes. The darkness of his iris was nearly the same shade as his sister's… _ Did I really just notice that? Did I? Oh my god._ Renji shook his head, physically trying to get rid of the thoughts in his head. Byakuya noticed this movement out of the corner of his eye, and as the two were shunpoeing to the outer edges of Rukongai, Byakuya began a debate with himself . _Abarai is not a dog. Although the way he shakes his head, his wild scruffy mane , his feral expressions all point to the fact that he is a canine… No, no Byakuya -Sama, your future brother-in-law is NOT a dog_ . He tried to convince himself that Renji really was not a canine... He too shook his head to rid disturbing thoughts of Renji howling at the moon.

The two finally alighted at the southern- most edge of Rukongai. From here onwards there lay a vast landscape of peaked rock which eventually gave way to the undulating dunes of the desert. To the east lay the lush evergreen forest that provided excellent target practice for kido practice ; to the west lay the open fields of rippling grass, favoured for practice with zanpakutos; to the north lay sprawling streets of houses which had begun to spring up overnight. Renji and Bykuya gazed at the barren, unforgiving landscape before them. There were large swathes of tall steep-sided rock faces which looked treacherous and nearly impossible to climb Their craggy brown peaks seemed to poke straight into the sky. In between the enormous slabs of rocks were small pathways that a fully-grown man could just squeeze into. There was no sign of any living creature, just sprigs of springy green weeds growing in cracks in the rock, turned sky-wards to soak up as much sun as they could. The wind whistled shrilly in complaint , like the engine of a train, cut in two by the harsh serrated edges of rock.

" RENJI," a sudden scream echoed around the rocky peaks, reverberating eerily . Renji turned towards the sound of the call and watched in amazement as Ichigo stumbled out from one of the pathways between the rocks. He looked dishevelled and exhausted.

**DUN DUN DUN DUN…. Click Chappy 7 to find out what happens next! **

**Review please! COOKIEEES from the cookiemonster for all you lovelay reviewers. Mayn I think the cookie monster needs to go to rehab though…he eats way too many cookies. Imagine his cholesterol levels. :O For you R. 3 **

**Xoxo**


	7. Love and Bakas

Chapter 7 

**SuperRenji. I wonder what'd he'd look like if he wore his underwear on top of his pants. Hmm…**

" **She has a smile that can stop my heart. I do what I do because… isn't it always about the love of a woman?"**

" Ichigo? What the hell happened? Are you okay?" Renji fired questions at the shattered orange-haired man. His relief at seeing Ichigo alive nearly overwhelmed him and he had to suppress the urge to hug him. _ Thank god. _ His relief was short-lived as Ichigo collapsed in his friend's arms, his breath coming in short bursts.

" N-no time. Ru-kia," he breathed out. " That. Rock. There." He gestured weakly towards an outcrop of rock. He then passed out.

" Abarai." Byakuya said swiftly, " you take Ichigo and head back to Seretei for help, and I shall go and see to Rukia and that marauding piece of filth who has captured her."

" No." Renji responded shortly. "Taichou YOU go for help and I shall go for Rukia." Byakuya looked sharply at his subordinate and in his eyes saw a will of steel and grim determination. _ Pride… I see. You have your pride and your love. I am not one to stand in the way of that. I trust you…canine hunt well. _ Renji was expecting an objection, but was met with consent.

" Very well Abarai. I shall go. We were foolhardy to not think of taking a hell's butterfly or to not alert anyone. But what's done is done and Kurosaki seems to be in dire straits. I shall take him, garner help and be back as quickly as I can." He paused. " I am counting on you Lieutenant Abarai. Bring her home safely." He regarded Renji squarely, hoisted Ichigo into his arms, and then shunpo-ed off towards Seretei in a blur of speed.

_Ru, I'm coming. Hang on girl, please. _ He surveyed the outcrop of rock that Ichigo had pointed to and hurriedly ran to the entrance. Abandoning all attempts at stealth, Renji rushed into a tunnel which was narrow and damp. Droplets of water dripped off the roof of the cave onto the floor, creating an eerie rhythm. As he pressed on, Renji noticed that the tunnel was becoming wider which made it easier to move. He carried on running for a few minutes and then stopped. The tunnel forked into three pathways—_Shit. Which way should I go? _ Renji closed his eyes and channelled all his concentration on finding Rukia's reiatsu. The stone that made up the tunnel was not as coarse and as rough as seki-seki stone, so he should be able to feel the flow of any residual reiatsu of hers. He reached out his consciousness, probing the flow of air for that particular deep violet ribbon of reiatsu that belonged to Rukia. Rukia's reiatsu had always felt like rich velvet to his senses, easy to locate and a pleasure to be near…. _ THERE! THERE! I found it!_

"YES!" He grinned triumphantly. That was her reiatsu alright, dark and deep and smooth as satin; rich and ripe like wine…_ Although it seems to be at a dangerously low level… Hold on Ru, I'm coming for you. I'm gonna murder these fucking bastards._ Hot anger coursed through his veins as he felt Rukia's reiatsu fluctuate wildly and then become even fainter . Spurred on by his volcanic rage, Renji tore up the middle passageway. It sloped upwards, and he thought that he'd be close to another opening soon. He was right. The tunnel widened out again, this time into a sizeable cave. The roof was so high up that he felt like he was in a cathedral. There was nothing holy about this place though. It was poison to a Shinigami; he could tell when he first stepped in. Slowly, his reiatsu was being sapped away by the seki-seki stone. It was much more jagged and piercing than the ordinary sandstone that made up the other caves. He needed to find Rukia _ NOW! _ He walked further into the cave, his eyes getting accustomed to the shifting light and his feet getting attuned with the uneven floor. _ There. There she was. _

He spotted her small form and what he saw made him want to kill everyone in reach. Her hands were shackled to the stone wall and garish streaks of blood ran down her arms, trickling off her shoulder blades. The skin on her wrist was so chaffed and torn into that it dripped scarlet blood. She'd obviously tried to twist her hands free. Her head was slumped onto her chest and her inky black hair dropped limply over her closed eyes. She looked so vulnerable. A hazy mist of red began to blur Renji's vision. He was seething with anger that nearly blinded him. His chest felt like it was going to burst in two. He grasped Zabimaru roughly and with one slice of the keenly-honed blade, he sliced the chains that bound Rukia. They dropped to the floor with a clink. Rukia also dropped to the floor,her body heavy in its lethargy. Before she could hit the floor with a thud, Renji caught her in his arms. _ She's so small…_ He got down on one knee, gathered her close to him and buried his face in the purple-blackness of her locks. She did not stir. _ Shit… Ru please please please wake up. _He needed to get her to safety. In a smooth motion he sheathed Zabimaru and pressed Rukia to his chest. He had just taken a step towards the exit of the cave, when a robed figure ominously blocked the entrance.

" And jusssst whereeee do you think you are going with my baiiit?" The figure snarled at him.

" She's not bait you fucking creep. I'm taking her away from this place. You better get the fuck outta my way before I bash your deluded brains out." Renji had no time for witty banter.

" I seeee. As usual the Head of the Kuchiki House has sent a dirty mongrel to do his bidding. It's too much to expect that he do it himself." The shapeless robe stepped into one of the shafts of sunlight which pierced through the gloom. He lifted his robe. " I see we shall have to do this the hard way. You must be the disgusting half-breed that serves as vice-captain… My my, the Gotei 13 must be pretty desperate to have you fill such a position." The face underneath the robe – was for lack of a better word- hideous. It was clear that this man had dabbled in the dark arts, trying to stop forces of nature and the inevitable work of time. The result was a heinous creation of unnatural appearance with a nightmarish quality to it. He had a sallow complexion and skin the colour of rotting flesh. His skin was pulled tightly against his bones and the outline of his skull was visible. His eyes were small and far-apart, they glowed a sickly ,eerie vermillion. A sharp, hooked nose protruded over narrow, thin, colourless lips, drawn up in a sour snarl.

The man clutched at a sword with a warty hand and drew it from its scabbard. The sword was bone white and had a black pommel. The bleached white of the blade was somehow disturbing. Its lack of character, lack of lustre, lack of _ being,_ spoke of danger and death and nothingness that chilled Renji.

Renji grasped Zabimaru, which somehow reassured him—he could do this. He had to get rid of this crazy bastard. He laid Rukia gently on the ground, away from the bastard and without further ado, he brought Zabimaru down, hard against the lunatic's sword. The two blades met with a screech of metal. " REMEMBER MY NAME! Sahiru Kuchiki. THE MAN WHO RID THE KUCHIKI HOUSE OF SCUM LIKE YOU AND THAT BITCH! Such tainted blood should never be allowed into a pure family like mine!"

" She's not scum! She's more noble than anyone in the Kuchiki House could ever be. She's a fucking angel. So you better shut the fuck up before I make you!" Renji could not let that insult slide. _ Rukia's the purest person I know._ _ Bastard. _Sahiru leapt back, and then coiled, like a cat ready to spring. With a bloodcurdling laugh, he descended on Renji in a flurry of blows. Renji parried skilfully and managed to avert a thrust to his head. He leapt onto a shelf of rock which was two metres above the floor and caught his breath. He had the advantage of height; he jumped onto Sahiru aiming for his heart. He shoved Zambimaru towards Sahiru's chest, but Sahiru dodged at the last second. The bone-white blade bit cleanly into the exposed flesh of Renji's shoulder. He gasped as blood began gushing out of the wound. Luckily it was only superficial, and he jumped back onto the shelf of rock, tore a strip of his black uniform and quickly bandaged the wound. Sahiru was not to be outdone. He jumped in a smooth arc onto the ledge and took a swipe at Renji's head. He cut alarmingly close and Renji heard the whistle of the blade as it cut mere inches away from his head. _ Kosa…he's strong. _

"BANKAI! Baboon Bone Cannon." There was no time to lose, the seki-seki was sapping his energy and would soon kill Rukia if he didn't get her out of it. A crimson light came from his sword as it extended into a long whorl of bone. The fiercely decorated head of Zabimaru shrieked in battle-fever and Renji felt his pulse rise and he delighted in the fervour. _Bring it on._ He swung the sword in a curving motion towards Sahiru. The sheer force of the blow pushed the deformed man back on his heels. Zabimaru let out a howl of triumph and swung the crimson mane around its neck. It's howl announced the onslaught of the next attack. A pulsing, living, moving, fiery red ball of pure energy and light bloomed in the back of Zabimaru's mouth. Renji's katana swayed from side to side, bringing down tumbles of brown seki-seki, until it tore open the wall in a cloud of rubble and let in the fresh air. This dispelled the numbing effect of the horrible stone and immediately he felt better.

" BAN-" Sahiru began- but before he could finish his word, the pulsating ball of light hit him square in his chest, burning him to a crisp. His sword was gone and all that remained was the ashes of his robes.

Renji dispelled his Bankai and then promptly collapsed from blood-loss, the wound in his shoulder was graver than he realised. Blood soaked his black uniform, turning it as crimson as his air.

A WEEK LATER…

The chirp of bird song sounded throughout Seretei. It serenaded the blue sky and made the buttery warmth of the sunshine even more pleasant to bask in. Renji clattered up the cobble pathway to the Kuchiki Manor, brushing past the sakura blossoms. Spring was here…His arm was bandaged in a white plaster-of paris cast, which irritated him to no end. He was incapable of brushing his teeth by himself._ Lovely._

His arrival at the Kuchiki manor proceeded as usual. One of the maids answered the door and he asked for Rukia. He was shown to her quarters. He walked nervously towards her bedroom and before he could knock, she slid the door open smoothly. A huge grin split her face as she beheld the sheepish Renji and his plastered arm.

" Sooo," she said mischieviously, a twinkle in her eye. Renji knew that grin. Not nice she was gonna make him suffer now.. " Reeeenjii-sama. What can I do for you? Come in, come in!" He stepped into her room. It had been cleaned from the last time he was here. Plush carpets were underfoot and her Chappy drawings emblazoned the walls. He took a seat on the fluffy carpet, playing with the strands. She sat opposite him. He didn't look at her.

" Erm. Well nothin' really, I just came to see how ya doin' and all that crap. So I see you not dead yet. That's good." He was aware of just how close she was. Her chocolatey scent wafted over to him and he surreptiously took a sniff. _ Yum._

" Well is thaaat all?" She looked up at him. _ Ni-sama was right. He sniffs and he shakes his head like a dog. Hmm. _

" Uh. Yea. I guess…" he trailed off questioningly. _ Is she chasing me? Hmm stupid bitch. Can she not LET ME TELL HER.. arghhhh. I can face any number of enemies without fear. But this little bitch has me quaking in my pants… just like her damned brother. _

Rukia smiled up at him softly. " Abarai Renji. Do I have to beat it out of you? You know you can tell me… Oh and I'm not going to thank you for putting your stupid ass on the line to come save me. So if that was what you came here for…" She sniffed. " STOP DOING THAT by the way. I'm not worth getting that huge cut for. You could have been killed. I told you last time already that I didn't WANT you to do these things for me Ren- " She was cut off in midsentence by Renji's lips on hers; her eyed widened in shock. Renji braced himself for the beating that was no doubt coming his way… But then… when nothing came, he drew back and glanced shamefacedly at her. Her eyes were still closed and he smiled.

" RU you stupid stupid girl. I'm never going to die for you. Because whenever you're in trouble I fully intend to come and help you. I'm not going to lose my life because I'll always need to help you out and protect you. I KNOW what you're gonna say….that you don't need protecting. And I know you don't Ru. It's just that from way back then… it's always been me and you and.. and well-"

" Baka." She cut him off. " I thought you'd never tell me. Abarai Renji you stupid stupid boy." She cradled his face with her soft hands and kissed him gently on the lips. She smiled as he took her in his arms and held her tightly. She looked up into his clear, soulful brown eyes with her own onyx ones. This time he met her gaze. The bruises and the darkness had faded; all that remained was a gentle light , which spoke of unadulterated happiness and love. Her eyes once again mirrored the vast swathe of sky above their heads; clear and bathed in the naked light of the sun. Renji's sky.

Byakuya looked through his secret spyhole at the two. He smiled.

**For you R… I'm sorry. 3 Ily.**

**Sooo that concludes the end of the story :D I hope you enjoyed it **

**Please review! **

**If you have any suggestions for a new story, feel free to drop a message :D I feel inspiration striking me heh heh. Or that could be insanity. Either way. **

**Lots of lurrve lovely leaders. Muaaah xoxo.**


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